Backpacking – Gearing Up – The Physical & Mental Preparation Begins

Well… here we are in the end of May! Yay Summer! I am so ready for the seasonal changes as I imagine you all are. This time of year, my thoughts turn to the upcoming backpacking season and the beautiful high-mountain landscapes that will surely capture my attention. With all the snow we had in Eastern Oregon last winter, access to the high country will come a little later than usual, a true test of my patience! While I eagerly wait for what is sure to be a great season, there is something I can do now to prepare; exercise and build my endurance.

Last summer, I went on a multi-day trip to Glacier Lake, located in the Eagle Cap Wilderness of Eastern Oregon. I soon learned that my body was not properly conditioned for the trip. Even though I am quite active and often day hike with my heavy camera gear in tow, I quickly found out that it takes a lot more UMPH to carry your photography gear plus a backpack full of the camping supplies you need for several days in the wilderness.

Where I Failed & What I Did About It

I was fine the first day. It was simply a long hike with a gradual elevation gain through gorgeous green wildflower meadows and rugged mountain views in the distance. I was feeling pretty good. Little did I know that day 2 would be quite the opposite experience. The trail dramatically changed becoming much steeper and very rocky often making it hard to get a sure footing. It was a difficult ascent. By the time we reached Glacier Pass, I was exhausted and completely out of breathe. I eventually recaptured my breath only to loose it again at the beautiful view! It was so worth the effort but I knew with proper physical conditioning, my effort could be reduced and my enjoyment could be increased.

My pack was overweight for my body size because I insisted on taking my camera gear, DUH. It was an effort though. My aerobic strength and endurance had met its match. By the fourth day, the muscles my legs felt like rubber bands. Armed with the knowledge of my physical shortcomings, I now I knew the two things that I needed to work on to become stronger next time.

Since returning from that trip, I was determined to improve my physical strength and endurance. I have been faithfully exercising on my elliptical every other day, gradually increasing the time and power level as I went. I added weights to my ankles so I could work on improving the strength of my legs while I exercised. This spring, I took the additional step of exercising with my loaded backpack on. This was a huge increase in physical difficulty but one that will pay off when I encounter the next high pass. I am confident that I will be in much better shape to tackle this summer’s backpacking adventures.

Planning Your Backpacking Trip in Eastern Oregon

Planning & scheming is one of my favorite pastimes, especially while I am waiting for the snow to melt. I am very fortunate here in Eastern Oregon. We have the Elkhorn Mountain Range on the west and the Eagle Cap Wilderness on the northeast of Baker Valley. There are many backpacking trails offering a wide variety of choices for backpackers and hikers at all skill levels. A great resource including trail descriptions in northeast Oregon is 100 Hikes / Travel Guide Eastern Oregon by William L. Sullivan. Don’t forget to check the US Forest Service website for a great list of hiking and backpacking trails in the region.

Thoughts, ideas or questions… Feel free to reach out and leave a comment. If you like this article, you are welcome to share. To connect out there on the Wild, Wild, Web, you can find me at:

Lori Rowland Photography on Facebook

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And on my website: oregonexposures.com